Police cadets, Explorers flex muscles as 'warriors'

Most people gained an hour of sleep Saturday night, but 13 exhausted young adults were not so lucky.

Roused from their sleeping bags at 2 a.m., Vallejo police cadets and Explorers spent that extra hour running in the cold night and jumping over six-foot walls. And that wasn't even the worst part of the weekend.

The students were participating in two intense days of police training, called Warrior Weekend, as a part of the Vallejo Police Department's cadet and Explorer programs.

"This weekend gives them a little taste of what the academy will be like and makes them ask themselves, 'Do I really want to do this?' " said Officer Gordie Moore, who instructed the young people during a building search exercise.

Throughout the weekend, participants were Tasered, exposed to tear gas, trained in hand-to-hand combat and fought off "suspects" during building search exercises.

And there was running. Lots of running.

The police cadet program is for college students with an interest in law enforcement and provides training and hands-on experience before they enter police academy.

Cadets also work part-time for the department, taking on duties such as writing reports on car thefts or burglaries, en-forcing parking rules and patrolling Mare Island.

The Explorer program is for high school students with a similar interest who may enter the cadet program in the future.

"This weekend is all about team-building, confidence-building and skills-building," said Cpl. Rich Botello, cadet and Explorer coordinator.

Botello said the cadet program, which began 12 years ago, is a great way for college students to get a head start on their law enforcement career.

After the program, Vallejo police send the cadets to the police academy in Oakland and then they come back to work on the force.

"I think this is the only program in Northern California set up like this," Botello said. "Our cadets go through the same training our officers do, and each part of the program is mirrored after what they can expect in the academy."

Cadet Cian Riddle, a student at Diablo Valley College, said the program, especially Warrior Weekend, is a great boost to self-confidence. "It's hard when you try to explain to your friends what you have been through and accomplished. They don't really get it," Riddle said.

Cadet R.J. Otico, a Sacramento State University student, said the weekend's training has emphasized how important it is, as a police officer, to trust your team. "When one person slacks off, we all suffer," Otico said. "We need to be able to trust our life to the teammate that is covering our backs."

Otico said after going through scenarios simulating dangerous situations, he knows the training has prepared him well. "Like one of the sergeants told me, it is not about rising to the occasion, but we should fall back on our training," Otico said.

Cadet Leilani Kaanoi, a Solano Community College student, said although cadets are pushed hard and the training is tough, it is fulfilling to leave class at the end of the day, feeling proud of what she accomplished. "I feel more confident in my abilities. We're going to be way ahead of everyone when we enter the academy," Kaanoi said.